Think For Yourself

[Wizdumb]

There is a problem in today's world. The problem is in our perspective of God. Through our entire lives, and the lives of generations before us, the image of God has been painted through religion. Everything we supposedly know about God has been placed into a box. Placed there by religion. And throughout our entire lives, we are meant to focus only on that box, if we want to know God.

 

Since we all grew up knowing only the things in the box, this is all most people ever see about God. They think it is all God is. But i'm here to tell you it's not true. The stuff religion teaches does not necessarily have anything to do with God. We need to think outside of the box religion has placed the illusion of God in. Look beyond the portrait painted by religion. Because God is real, just not the God of current religions. Just as God does not sit on a mountain throwing lightning bolts, God does not do the things claimed in current religions. We need to distinguish the factual information about God from the non-factual. Which, of course, is incredibly difficult to do. But, the first thing any of us need to do is understand the possibility that God has nothing to do with current religions. Just as God had nothing to do with religions of old.

 

Think outside the box. Unlearn what you've learned about God through religion. And then maybe you'll be able to find some truth about God.

[infamous]

Just as God had nothing to do with religions of old.

Are you saying that God had nothing to do with the written word, the Bible by another name?

 

Think outside the box. Unlearn what you've learned about God through religion.

Again, are you saying we should dismiss what the Bible has to say?

 

And then maybe you'll be able to find some truth about God.

The "truth about God" is certainly a very personal thing but I don't think this gives us license to ignore what scripture says about him.

[Mr. Potato Head]

If you're referring to religion as the contemporary business and conflict creator that it is today, then I agree with you. However, if you are including the Bible in your description, I can't agree with you. I choose to learn about what God has to say through the Bible (even though I don't read it avidly, which I should). Other people choose other books and also lead different lives as well, some with more or less conflict than myself.

 

Anyways, I agree that if you can learn about God, perhaps through the Bible, without getting sucked into religious zeal, more power to you!

[Boerseun]

I've read your post.

 

...and I've pondered a bit.

 

And then I re-read your post.

 

And, lo and behold, I still fail to see your point.

 

Although, slightly off-topic, an interesting observation begs to be made right about here:

 

The biggest single influence on our idea and visualisation of God, is, in my mind, Michaelangelo's painting "The Descent of Adam". That old guy with the grey beard sitting on that fluffy cloud, is inprinted on our tiny gullible little minds from gindergarten as "God".

 

How wacky is that?

[rockytriton]

The idea that you need to read the bible to understand God is crazy to me. If God is really so great, you should be able to have a personal relationship with him without ever picking up any religious text. That's the way that I see it at least. How else would you explain civilizations that never heard of the bible? Would you say that they were just all damned to hell for their ignorance?

[Mr. Potato Head]

The idea that you need to read the bible to understand God is crazy to me. If God is really so great, you should be able to have a personal relationship with him without ever picking up any religious text. That's the way that I see it at least. How else would you explain civilizations that never heard of the bible? Would you say that they were just all damned to hell for their ignorance?

 

I'll rephrase what I said. Some may or may not choose Christianity as their method of spiritual belief. I have and so I must by definition use the Bible to learn the history of my method. My relationship with God is my own and I completely agree with you that you can certainly develop a relationship with God without literature. However, the question that remains is, What, if any religion, is the "right" one? No one will know, even by science. Seems like russian roulette to me.

[Mr. Potato Head]

The biggest single influence on our idea and visualisation of God, is, in my mind, Michaelangelo's painting "The Descent of Adam". That old guy with the grey beard sitting on that fluffy cloud, is inprinted on our tiny gullible little minds from gindergarten as "God".

 

How wacky is that?

 

 

You seem to project your perception onto the world as their own a lot. "In my mind" always leads to "our minds." Unfortunately for you, I don't see God as a painting for I don't see Him at all. Only one sense is available to know God and it isn't one of the five scientifically stated ones either.

[rockytriton]

Seems like russian roulette to me.

 

Yes, choosing a religion is like playing russian roulette with your soul. The important thing to remember is to be good to people, then you have a chance if you chose poorly.

[Chacmool]

That's exactly what makes religion so daunting to me - you're only allowed one choice, and if you're wrong, you get condemned for all eternity. So, for argument's sake, if I accepted Jesus as my personal saviour in the Christian tradition, and fully committed my life to being a good and devoted Christian, but it turned out that a deity from another religion was the One and Only - I would go to hell?

[Mr. Potato Head]

That's exactly what makes religion so daunting to me - you're only allowed one choice, and if you're wrong, you get condemned for all eternity. So, for argument's sake, if I accepted Jesus as my personal saviour in the Christian tradition, and fully committed my life to being a good and devoted Christian, but it turned out that a deity from another religion was the One and Only - I would go to hell?

 

Unfortunately, most of us are too ignorant of other options to know for sure. I've stated my personal reason for choosing Christianity in another thread. Because of the fact that it holds that God gave sacrifice to know man as opposed to man sacrificing things to earn God's favor. I like that. But I can't believe that just being nice to people will allow you to get out of choosing. Maybe the right religion wants you to be mean to people. How can we know? I can certainly see why someone predisposed to facts alone could give up on or get scared away from religion. There are none and your mind/body WILL die ignorant. But will your soul?

[rockytriton]

Yea who knows, maybe the one true god is satan and he condems us to eternal damnation in heaven with all of the jahova's witnesses....

[alexander]

Yea who knows, maybe the one true god is satan

heh, i have a friend that's said something to think about about that, he said:

"well, really do you think that god is better then satan? consider this, god goes around and says, well i dont want you, you did this, and you are not going to heaven because of this and that, but satan welcomes everyone no matetr what they have done in their past, so which one of them is good and which one is bad?

[Boerseun]

Well.....

 

I personally know the Prophet of Watsjoukak. His name is Wiewilweet. And He's been travelling the World for ages now spreading His Word.

 

His main message is known as the Daarsniekaknie.

 

And it's all about love and peace and everything nice.

 

So, after the revelation of Wiewilweet's teachings, I believe in my heart to be a Watsjoukakian.

 

And here's the crunch: Who can disprove this? Why would Jesus be elevated in any way or form above Wiewilweet, and why would God be any higher in purpose or form than Watsjoukak?

 

The story of God and Jesus is so universal in human matters, that it should be obvious that the allegory and metaphor disproves His/Her existence.

[Chacmool]

Well.....

 

I personally know the Prophet of Watsjoukak. His name is Wiewilweet. And He's been travelling the World for ages now spreading His Word.

 

His main message is known as the Daarsniekaknie.

 

And it's all about love and peace and everything nice.

 

So, after the revelation of Wiewilweet's teachings, I believe in my heart to be a Watsjoukakian.

 

And here's the crunch: Who can disprove this? Why would Jesus be elevated in any way or form above Wiewilweet, and why would God be any higher in purpose or form than Watsjoukak?

 

The story of God and Jesus is so universal in human matters, that it should be obvious that the allegory and metaphor disproves His/Her existence.

:shrug: Truly excellent! This post is an absolute gem, Boerseun. Daarsmosgeenkaknie!

[Chacmool]

:shrug: You have 'no' actual proof!!! Where is the 'physical evidence' for what you say?

This is Boerseun's belief - and according to the arguments made by believers in other threads, he doesn't need any "physical evidence". He just has to believe in the existence of the prophet Wiewilweet and cling to the gospel of Daarsniekaknie.

 

I think he has converted me to the fundamental teachings of Watsjoukak.

[Boerseun]

I do see what you mean :shrug: However, the religions of the world are founded upon some 'written' work - they are not just pulling something out of the air.

Case in point:

 

Scientology was 'pulled out of the air' by L. Ron Hubbard, in the process winning him a bet that he made with a friend of his that he will invent a religion within ten years. This came after a discussion they had about Religion being the easiest, surest way to make money. Today, in our 'enlightened' information age, there are Scientology centres world-wide.

 

Mr. Hubbard won his bet hands-down.

 

'Dianetics', the book that started it all, is being peddled to this day all over the world with total disregard to it being complete and utter hogwash.

 

Famous idiots who fell for it and are proud to describe themselves as 'Scientologists', include pint-sized Tom Cruise.

 

I'm sure if you give me enough time, I can come up with the complete Written Word of Watsjoukak. And have a few converts soon enough. And be rolling in dough soon after.

With the current bloom in revivalist and charismatic churches it seems that people are experiencing a growing need for 'feel-good' messages or groupings or simply have a need to 'belong' to something. And if you see the luxury the Jimmy Swaggarts of this world cover themselves in, it also seems that the members of these churches are willing to part with a sizable chunk of their wages for the priviledge of hearing that particular message.

 

The time is ripe, brothers and sisters! All hail Watsjoukak!

[Chacmool]

Indeed, Brother Boerseun, I believe that Watsjoukak is the way to true enlightenment. And I personally find a lot of comfort in the writings of Watkykjy. Could that not be regarded as part of our holy scriptures?